Diary > Thursday 17th September

[Roobarb]

Bright and sunny today, a pleasant change from the gloomy weather yesterday. Felt like relaxing this morning so left my walk until after lunch. It was cooler out than expected,  the wind was chilly, wished I'd worn a warmer jacket but the exercise soon warmed me up.  Went all the way through both woodland paths and around the field.

Back home, hung some washing out then got the mower out to cut the front lawn. Trimmed around the flower beds and borders. The begonias are still in full flower in one of the beds, I don't usually buy them but will do again. Was expecting NN to be putting something in the bin at the front so she could see what I was doing  but instead she went bustling past me down the street. Took the opportunity to trim back her shrubs where they overhang my drive and to knock in a couple of nails that had come loose from the back fence. Planted some more of the plants I bought yesterday into containers and took more cuttings from geraniums.

Came inside and updated my next Tesco order. Also ordered some dumbbells. I recently froze my gym membership till the end of the year - I have no wish to go there under the current circumstances and my usual Pilates class isn't taking place. I get plenty of cardio exercise with my walking but I need to resume the weights for upper body exercise.

Fish for tea, usual evening.

Read in the local news that 1000 fans are to be allowed into the football stadium on Saturday to watch a game. Utterly ridiculous in my opinion, particularly considering the number of additional cases recently and the extra measures being taken further north.

[Caw1]

Sounds like another busy day Roobarb... don’t blame you for cutting NN bushes if they’re hanging over your drive.... just dare she says anything after what she’s done to your plants!
Your exercise regime sounds pretty hard core... using weights not sure I’d be able to lift them whilst exercising....

Today was a wonderful day all round... the weather was clear blue skies and pretty warm... woke up early, my son sent me a message at 7.30.... Then got lots more from friends even before breakfast! Phone call from my daughter boys already at school so we’ll have a FaceTime later...
Set out on our visit to Anglesey Abbey, there were lots of cars in the car park but it was all well organised... had a much needed cup of coffee when we got there sitting in the sunshine. There was a one way system with a few free flow areas. We were surprised how well the gardens were looking compared to few others we’ve visited that weren’t... pity we couldn’t go into the house as it’s quite a nice one.. but the disappointment of that was made up by the beautiful dahlia garden... stunning, all tall at least 3-4ft high, the bed was a long arc starting with deep orange to lighter, ambers to pale yellows into cream and white then lilacs, purples pinks, magenta, finishing in deep red... all different varieties from the tight balls to the large headed spiky ones, single flowers... quite beautiful, the best we’ve seen anywhere. The Rose garden was a colourful sight too, and lots of flowers some with heavenly scent and some with not much. Walking through the wooded area the floor was a carpet of white and pink cyclamen so pretty, ending in the area where all the bleached birch trees are... in normal times you hit them first coming round a corner there they are best in spring when the floor is covered in snowdrops and little blue star flowers.... glory if the snow I think they’re called. Quite stunning ... we then drove in to the next village for lunch sat outside in the garden and had a very pleasant meal, first time eating out since late January, the publican and wife made us very welcome and couldn’t do enough for us... the bill seemed pretty inexpensive so we rounded it up as we felt the meal was worth it...
Once home had a cuppa and started to sort out food for the evening... all the goodies I’d bought in Waitrose yesterday... Split the cake and put mirabelle and masala jam on one half, butter icing on the other sandwich back together drizzled some icing over the top and tied some ribbon round it..
 there’s far too much for 6 of us OH says...
I just smiled at him!
FaceTime with the boys who were happily showing me the conkers  they’d picked up in the park on the way home from their tennis lessons. Looking forward to seeing them at the W/e...
Our neighbours/friends arrived at 6.30 armed with bottles of wine and a huge bunch of lovely flowers... we opened the bubbly and enjoyed the last of the sunshine... once that disappeared it soon turned chilly... we managed to sit outside for a while eating but soon retreated to the conservatory where it was warmer! We spent a relaxing evening chatting....it was gone midnight when they left... cleared up all the food had gone!....sat playing with my new iPad whilst OH watched some of the golf...
It’s been a lovely day and I couldn’t think of a better way to have spent my birthday... it did remind me that last year we spent it with our daughter & family, son and his wife, my SiL & family.....how different in terms of numbers getting together... you never know what’s round the corner!
Now it’s late....
Caroline

[Ruskie]

Happy Birthday Caroline.  It sounds like you had a wonderful day.

I had to google Anglesey Abbey - it looks amazing - just the sort of place I would love to explore. The gardens look spectacular.

[Caw1]

Thanks Ruskie.... all over now and another day older 😢
Yes Anglesey Abbey is a lovely place and only about 45 mins away so we go quite frequently, it always looks wonderful what ever time of year you go...

Caroline

[River Tyne Lass]

Roobarb,I think it is within your rights to trim back your NNs shrubs which are overhanging your side.  You sound like you have had another busy and productive day.  Your woodland walks sound nice.  Do you see a lot of wildlife when there?  Part of the cemetery is woodland like near where I live.  When I go on walks there I see lots of squirrels, birds and butterflies.  It was beautiful in the spring when all the bluebells came out.

Happy belated Birthday for yesterday Caroline. 

🎂🎂🎂🎁🎁🎁🎈🎈🎆🎆🎉💃💃💃👯👯👃🎂🎂🎂🎁🎁

I am glad you had such a lovely day.  Such a good thing that the weather was so nice too for your special trip out to Anglesey Abbey.  What a nice end to the day too.  It sounds like it was a really happy day to remember.

Yesterday, didn't feel too much like a good day after I found out that new lockdown restrictions apply where I live from today (Friday).  This feels like such a blow for our area and I do find this quite depressing.  I didn't sleep at all well last night thinking about it all.  I accept that this is not something that the government would want but that this is necessary, at least for the time being.  I am feeling a bit low about this setback in my area but I know I will rally.  I think I just need to come to terms with it again.  I know I still have much to be thankful for.

I contacted our Pastor to confirm that Church will now be cancelled.  However, to my surprise he says that they have been assured that Church services can still go ahead.  He says he is going to email people about it.  I know the plans were for people to attend on  allocated Sundays and to have socially distanced seating.

If things continue like this it sounds like I won't be able to visit my sister in law's sister at her holiday cottage in October after all.  That is, if she is able to come up and stay in a holiday cottage.  I don't know.  Things seem so much in the air now.  I have a lot to find out about what will and won't be allowed.

Oh, regarding my Grandson .. my Daughter in law has since told me that he and the other little boy at nursery have now stopped their fighting and have become friends.  I am really glad to hear that.   

[Caw1]

Thanks RTL for your good wishes...

I really sorry to hear your area is going in to some sort of lockdown again, it’s a depressing thought for us all, like being on a cliff edge, and not a pleasant situation for any of us to be in...
I hope that your SiL sister will be able to visit as I know you’ve been looking forward to going... it’s these little straws of something normal that keep us all going..
Pleased for you that your church will be open though and that your grandson and the other little boy are now friends... I expect they were just testing one another out!
Hope you have a better day...
Caroline

[River Tyne Lass]

Thanks, Caroline.  I am going to try to have a better day today.  I think I just need time to process this setback.  In recent times, with more places reopening, things have felt more like the old normal.  And now this whammy, brings it home that we are very much not out of the woods as yet.  I thought there might be little lockdowns later this winter.  I hadn't expected that this would have come around this quickly or that so many places in my area would be affected.  Still, my family and I am well and I am grateful for that.  Also, I will still have to go to work so I am not confined as much as many others.  It just feels a bit of a shock at the moment.  I really feel for all those whose jobs and businesses might be affected.

[Viktoria]

Well some more good news ro add to lovely Birthday, friends at school,
busy gardeners ,my son’s little cat  arrived  home at 2am this morning .
Very bedraggled, thin and with a really bad eye infection.
So off to Vet’s this  morning  for check up .
The sad side of this is, their other cat which is very timid ,came out of her shell in the absence of  the missing one.
But again the bullying has started, eating her own good but driving the timid one away from that one’s food!
So naughty one to be confined to certain areas and nice one free to roam, eat alone and get some time unmolested.
If the timid one cut up rough she could really give bully what for ,twice the size!
Well, what a set back, NE and Bolton and other parts of Lancashire ,not heard
the news yet .
Will put BBC 2 on in a moment.
Must order some more paint, can’t use the queer yellow that ought to be magnolia ,perhaps just plain white is the least trouble.
Needs doing as it is trade paint on the walls now and if it is even bathroom
paint is debatable !
Used Dulux “ Timeless” in one bedroom of my old house ,Brilliant White
was wrong for a lovely  Victorian  house .
However,for “ Timeless” read grubby!.
Plain white was best.
Smoked salmon in spinach and cream sauce with tagliatelle for tea.
In Belgium sorrel is always mixed with spinach ,a sharp sour taste that lifts
dishes.
You could buy sorrel at greengrocers.You only need a little,Oxalic acid!
Lemon juice is a good substitute ,but not with cream of course.

Was given some baking apples by a kind neighbour ,might use them for some MacMillan baking,give some baking to other neighbours and just say if they wish to do so ,to put something in a MacMillan box when they see one perhaps.
Listening to latest news so cheerio for now.Look after yourselves and thanks  for your news,it might seem trivial but it really is not.
It is continuity ,a striving to be normal whilst struggling to keep to rules and guidelines .
The daily trivia is very important , don’t minimise or underestimate its positives.
It keeps my feet on the ground
Viktoria.

[Caw1]

Oh Viktoria - I’m delighted that your sons little cat has returned home despite being bedraggled and a sore eye.... I’m sure it will soon be remedied.... perhaps in some way a good thing as it has shown the other cat was being bullied and now they are able to address the situation... I’m sure they are mightily relieved though... wonder where it had been all this time... perhaps punishing them for moving....so maybe not as much dementia as they thought...
Lovely to make cakes for MacMillan... friend in the village is hosting a coffee morning next Friday in her garden... not sure about going and seeing people I’ve not been in contact with over the last few months... happy to donate cake and money I think... another cake to make for Cynthia Spencer Hospice on Monday..... all this cake making! Good job eggs and flour aren’t in short supply as in early lockdown.
Take care and stay safe although we know you will...

Caroline